Toi Te Mana

Toi Te Mana: An Indigenous History of Māori Art | Deidre Brown, Ngarino Ellis & Jonathan Mane-Wheoki.

A landmark account in words and pictures of Māori art, by Māori art historians – from Polynesian voyaging waka to contemporary Māori artists.

He toi whakairo, he mana tangata.
Through artistic excellence, there is human dignity.

Toi Te Mana is a landmark account of Māori art from the time of the tūpuna (ancestors) to the present day.

In 600 pages and over 500 extraordinary images, this volume invites readers to climb on to the waka for a remarkable voyage – from ancestral weavers to contemporary artists at the Venice Biennale, from whare whakairo to film, and from Te Puea Hērangi to Michael Parekōwhai.

The authors explore a wide field of art practice: raranga (plaiting), whatu (weaving), moko (tattoo), whakairo (carving), rākai (jewellery), kākahu (textiles), whare (architecture), toi whenua (rock art), painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, installation art, digital media and film. And they do so over a long time period – from the arrival of Pacific voyagers 800 years ago to contemporary artists in Aotearoa and around the world today. Through wide-ranging chapters alongside focused breakout boxes on individual artists, movements and events, Toi Te Mana is a waka eke noa – an essential book for anyone interested in te ao Māori.

Toi Te Mana is a Māori art history, written by Māori, given to the world.

Toitū te whenua, toitū te tikanga, ka ora ngā toi.
When we hold fast to our land and values, our art flourishes.

‘Toi Te Mana is an outstanding publication that brings to fruition the work of two exceptional Māori scholars and their visionary collaborator, the late Māori art historian Jonathan Mane-Wheoki. The book is not only a landmark in Māori art history, it challenges us to reconceive the entire narrative of art and modernity from the perspective of Indigenous cultures worldwide.’ — Peter Brunt, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington

‘This book is a comprehensive analysis that sets out to recalibrate the history of Māori art by rebalancing the gaps and Eurocentric focus of earlier writing. The format, with key chapters (kete) interspersed with breakout boxes focusing on specific artists and events, drives the kaupapa of the book forward, reinforcing a broadly chronological framework that nevertheless emphasises non-linearity, dynamism and change. The deployment of ancestral stories, chants and whakataukī to introduce chapters and sections draws together multiple strands to create a richly layered and relational landscape (whakapapa) for Māori arts. Ka mau te wehi! An outstanding contribution to Māori culture, arts and creativity – it is a great read.’ — Maia Nuku (Ngāi Tai), Curator Arts of Oceania, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

‘Toi Te Mana is a bold and ambitious endeavour by our most experienced Māori art historians responding to a desperate need in Aotearoa New Zealand art education. A historical atlas encompassing the spectrum of Māori creativity, this work will certainly become a standard text of Māori art history and contribute to the global discourse on indigenous art histories in which Māori already hold a strong and distinctive position.’ — Anna-Marie White (Te Ātiawa), Toi Māori Aotearoa

‘Toi Te Mana is a historic and groundbreaking text. It is an invaluable tool for Indigenous arts globally, and represents “best practice” in the field. The research and findings will be central to those of my generation and our students as we craft an Indigenous art history.’ — Professor Nancy Mithlo, Gender Studies, UCLA, Los Angeles

‘Toi Te Mana is a cultural feat ruminating on the luxurious depth and breadth of Māori art. From waka to painting to bodies, Brown, Ellis and Mane-Wheoki expertly fill each kete with insights, histories and analysis. This is a one-in-a-generation book.’ — Lana Lopesi, University of Oregon

‘This book provides an Indigenous account of Māori art, authored by Māori art historians, employing art historical methods, while highlighting its status as one of the foremost global art traditions. The authors hold considerable esteem in our field, which is reflected in the originality and irrefutable scholarship of their work. Remarkably, they have integrated myriad aspects of whakapapa, generations of ancestral history, and worldwide collections into a unified and meticulously researched and referenced book. The work is admirable in every respect.’ — Jennifer J. Wagelie, Director of Cultural Development and Equity Initiatives, California State University, Sacramento

Format: Hardback

Size: 245 x 300mm

Publication Date: November 2024